Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-12-10

Quence II he trusted her with the terrible
truth!
No footsteps approached the door; no voices
were audible outside. The travellers were
still Occupied in their rooms at the eastern
end of the corridor.
In the brief interval that had passed the
manager had sufficiently recovered himself to
be able 10 think once more of the first and
foremost interest of his life-the interest of
the hotel He approached Henry anxiously.
'If this frightful discovery becomes
known" he said, 'the closing of the hotel
and the ruin of the company will be the ill.,
evitable results. / feel sure that can trust
your discretion, sir, so farF'
"You can certainly trust me-" Henry an
swered "But surely discretion has its lin
its, he added, "after such a discovery as we
have nader
The manager understood that the duty
which they owed to the community as honest
and law abiding men, was the duty to which
Henry now referred 81 will at once find the
means,' he said, "of conveying the remains
privately out of the house. and will myself
place them in the care of the police authori
ties. Win you leave the room with mea or
do you not object to keep watch here, and
nelp HE Wnen feturns
While he was speaking, the voices OF the
travellers made themselves heard again at the
| end of the corridor. Henry instantly con-
sented to wait in the room. He shrunk from
facing the inevitable meeting with Agnes if
he showed himself in the corridor at that mo-
ment.
The manager fastened his departure. in the
| hope of escaping notice. He was discovered
| by his guests before lie could reach the head
of the stairs Henry heard the voices plainly
as he turned the key While the terrible
! drama of discovery was in progress on one
side of the door, tr.v vial questions about the
amusements of Venice and facetious discus
| sions on the relative merits of French and
Italian cookery were proceeding on the other.
Little by little the sound OF the talking grew
fainter The visitors having arranged their
plans of amusement for the day, were on
their way out of the hotel. In minute or
| two there was silence once more
Henry turned to the window, thinking to
relieve his mind by looking at the bright
view over the canal He soon grew wearied
of the familiar scene The morbid fascina-
ton which seems to be cxercised by all hor-
Role sights, drew him back again to the
| SHdStly oUJecI on INC IOOF.
Dream or reality, how had Agnes survived
the sight of it' As the question passed
through his mind, he noticed for the first
time something lying on the floor near the
head. Looking closer, he perceived thin
little plate of gold, with three false teeth at.
tached to it, which had apparently dropped
out Qoosened by lie shock when the manager
let the head fall on the floor
The Importance of this discovery, and the
necessity of not too readily communicating il
to others, instantly struck Henry. Hers
surely was u chance-if any chance remained
of identifying the shocking relic of human
ity which lay before him, the dumb witness
of q crimel Acting on this idea, he tool
possession of the teeth, purposing to use then
- a last means of inquiry when other at
tempts at investigation had been tried anC
had failed.
He went back again to the window; til.
solitude of the room began to weigh on lii
| spirits. As he looked out again at the view
there was soft knock at the door II,
hastened to open it-and checked himself il
the act. A doubt occurred to him. Was i
the manager who had Knocked He caIlei
out, "Who is there!n
| ne NOlCc VI ASllcs dilSWtI tu nav
you anything to tell me, Henry
He was hardly able to reply Not jus
now" he said, confusedly. Forgive me if
don't open the door. will speak to you
little later"
The sweet voice made itself heard again
pleading with him piteously. Don't leav
me alone, Henryl l can't 60 back to tn
happy people down stairs"
How could he resist that appeal lie hear,
her sigh--he heard the rustling of her dres
as she moved away i'll despair. The yer,
thing that he had shrunk from doing but
few minutes since was the thing that he di
now! He Joined Agnes in the corridor Sh
turned as she heard him, and pointed tren
bling in til direction of the closed room
ass it so terrible as that" she asked, family
) He put his arm round her to support her
A thought came to him as he looked at heI
waiting In doubt and fear for his reply
"You shall decide the question for yourself,
: he said, IF you will first put on your hat an
cloak, and come out with me-"
3 She was naturally surprised. Can 20
tall me your object in going Quit" She asked.
he owned what his object was unresery
: idly. 81 want, before all things" he sait
ito satisfy your mind and mine on the sui
ject OF Montbarry's death l am going t
take you to the doctor who attended him i
his illness and to the consul who followe
him to the grave
Her eyes rested on Henry gratefully. "Ol
: how well you understand mep she said. TIL
manager joined them at the same moment
on his way up the stairs. Henry gave hill
the key of the room, and then called to tn
servants in the hall to have a gondola read
at the steps
@Ars you leaving the hotelF the manage
asked.
ain search of evidence" Henry whispered
pointing to the key "If the authorize
want me, shall be back in an hour"